Backlash
by EvilTwin88
Summary: She shared her fear of a backlash. Now it's here.


Disclaimer: None of the characters from CSI are mine. They belong to Anthony E. Zuiker, Alliance-Atlantis, CBS, Jerry Bruckheimer Productions, et al. No copyright infringement intended. No profit will be made from this story.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Catherine watched as her coworker exited the conference room, an unfamiliar man at her side. Sara walked the man to the lab's exit, close enough for her to eavesdrop on their conversation. "I'll review the new contract and have it ready for you to sign by tomorrow. Stop by my office after work." Sara nodded.  
  
"I'll do that. Thanks again, Peter." The man grinned at her.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow, Angel."  
  
Catherine's eyebrows rose upon hearing the intimate nickname. Sara was seeing someone? Exactly who was this guy? She watched, noticing the faint smile lingering, even as Sara rolled her eyes.  
  
"Tomorrow, Trey." Pet names, this was interesting. Sara seemed to have moved on after Hank. Her attempt at getting Sara to divulge the details of her relationships over a few beers had failed miserably. All Catherine had gotten from that night was a raging hangover.  
  
Catherine sidled up to Sara after the man had left. "Who was that?"  
  
The brunette gave her an odd look, taking a small step to her side, away from Catherine.  
  
"An old friend from college." Catherine nodded, feigning interest.  
  
"Do all your old friends from college attend your annual reviews or just the ones who call you Angel?"  
  
Sara leveled her gaze at Catherine, not rising to the bait.  
  
"Just the ones whom I ask to act as my counsel." Figures. Sara would take an attorney to something as simple as an annual review meeting.  
  
"How did your annual review go anyway?" Catherine asked Sara.  
  
The brunette had an odd look on her face. Catherine bit back a smirk. Sheriff Atwater was heading up the reviews to "acquaint" himself with the crime lab workers. Word around the lab was that Atwater had been scrutinizing everyone's records and backgrounds. "Seeing as you felt the need for a lawyer and all."  
  
"It was fine," Sara replied.  
  
"Sheriff Atwater didn't hassle you about the Haviland trial or anything like that, did he? I'm sure he understands all about defense strategies with lawyers and everything." Sara tilted her head to one side, watching Catherine in an oddly Grissomesque pose.  
  
"Why would the results of a single trial have anything to do with my annual performance review?"  
  
"It was a high profile case, Sara."  
  
"There's more to the job than looking pretty for the cameras, Catherine."  
  
"Like having a lawyer for your review?" Catherine asked, smirking. "You must have been worried about what was going to happen if you hired a lawyer." Sara didn't respond, merely smiled slightly, making Catherine wonder. Sara didn't smile much, at least, not lately.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"We'll be taping this meeting for record-keeping purposes," the Sheriff informed Catherine. "Please sign this statement acknowledging your consent." Catherine dutifully signed the paper handed to her without reading it. Taping review meetings was new, but Catherine thought nothing of signing a standard consent form.  
  
"Ms. Willows, kindly explain your position to me," Sheriff Atwater requested. Catherine didn't pause before responding. The man was probably just trying to get an inside track on what she thought of her position. It was strange, though. Past reviews had only involved the lab director. Today, the Sheriff, Director Cavallo, and a woman with brown hair whom Catherine didn't recognize were all present.  
  
"I'm a CSI level 3 in the Vegas Crime Lab. I'm the assistant supervisor on the night shift, under Gil Grissom."  
  
"Do you understand that your position as a crime scene investigator for Clark County, Nevada makes you an officer of the law?" The thin brunette was making notes as the Sheriff questioned Catherine, watching Catherine closely.  
  
"Yes, of course."  
  
"Do you understand that as an officer of the law, you are obligated to report any known crimes or suspicions of crimes?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Finally, the brunette spoke. "Ms. Willows, you have just stipulated your understanding of two major articles involved in your contract of employment as a crime scene investigator. Given that understanding, perhaps you would care to explain your failure to follow through on those articles?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Catherine demanded. "Who are you?" The woman looked at her coolly.  
  
"Sarah Walters, Nevada Department of Justice. Ms. Willows, you recently worked on a case involving potential jury tampering, is that correct?"  
  
"That is," Catherine replied.  
  
"You failed to report an attempt of jury tampering by Miss Davis upon the deceased, Mr. Gibbons." Catherine didn't respond. "Yet, you did admit that you were aware of the consequences of her confession. Care to explain why you failed to follow through on your duties?" Catherine just glared at the woman. "No? We can move on for now. You have a history of failing to report crimes. April Lewis admitted to falsely filing rape charges against Edward Willows. You worked the case and failed to report her illegal actions."  
  
"She made a mistake," Catherine finally spoke.  
  
"Actually, Ms. Willows, you made the mistake," Walters corrected her. "According to Dr. Grissom's log, you were specifically instructed against going beyond a preliminary examination of the evidence. There are notations here that you failed to follow his instructions not once, but twice. You even lied to him about having turned the case over to another investigator. In fact, your name is on record as having met in person with the victim."  
  
"She wasn't a victim."  
  
"That had yet to be determined," Walters pointed out. "At the time of Ms. Lewis' exam, you had no way of knowing that her report was not true. Now, was this part of your habit of covering the illegal misdeeds of exotic dancers in some tribute to your past?" Walters paused momentarily before continuing. "Or did you decide not to report this case because doing so would open you to legal action?"  
  
"Legal action? She can't do that! Even if she tried, it would be thrown out!" That was ridiculous. It would clearly be a frivolous lawsuit. "Crime lab employees are protected from lawsuits based upon findings in their investigations." Catherine glared at the woman.  
  
"The victim could have easily chosen to sue you, Ms. Willows."  
  
"You mean the lab. That's what this is all about, isn't it? How the lab looks?"  
  
"It's about how your actions reflect poorly upon the justice system. The wife of an accused rapist examining his victim," Walters remarked. "That is a violation of protocol, of which you were well aware. Yet you proceeded regardless."  
  
"Ex-wife," Catherine growled.  
  
"Your divorce had yet to be finalized at the time, Ms. Willows, meaning you were the wife of an accused rapist at the time you examined his victim. The police officer stationed at the door filed a complaint and noted that upon introducing yourself, you deliberately withheld your surname. Did you touch the victim?"  
  
"That case was closed years ago! I can't be expected to remember every detail of every case!"  
  
"You seem to have a selective memory regarding your cases," Walters observed. "Your memory lapses extend beyond field protocol."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You failed to inform me that you failed your yearly recertification exam," Cavallo pointed out.  
  
"The question was under review. It was ambiguous."  
  
"The review committee ruled against you. You failed to report that information."  
  
"I didn't know!" Cavallo held up a photocopy of a delivery receipt.  
  
"Your results were delivered directly to you. You signed for them. Ignorance is no excuse for breaking the policies of this lab." Cavallo shook his head, taking a deep breath. The man was clearly beginning to lose his patience.  
  
"Get to the point, Cavallo," Catherine practically growled. This was an outrage! She was being railroaded. Could they even do this to her? Catherine started to wonder about something Sara had said a while back. When Sara's first review came up, she had her own attorney at it. Catherine had cracked jokes about it, behind Sara's back of course. Wouldn't want to risk a defamation of character lawsuit with a coworker who took a lawyer to her performance review. Sara never answered anyone's questions about why she had a lawyer with her, though. Catherine knew this because she had gotten Nicky and Warrick to try and get it out of her.  
  
"Your contract expires at the end of this month," Robert Cavallo spoke deliberately. "We will not be renewing it. You will be suspended without pay until your contract ends. You are relieved of your position as a CSI level III and assistant supervisor of the night shift here at the Las Vegas Crime Lab."  
  
"You can't do that!" Walters looked at her for a moment before responding.  
  
"Ms. Willows, you are currently under investigation for no less than five counts of misconduct of an officer of the law in the past four years. Your records are being pulled and reviewed. If you are considering hiding behind Dr. Grissom for protection, be advised that he will not be able to help you." Walters paused. "You'll need to hand in your badge, ID, and weapon before leaving the building. Sheriff Atwater will provide you with an escort."  
  
"An escort?" Catherine demanded. "What kind of a witch hunt is this? This is supposed to be my annual review, not a firing squad!"  
  
"You were given the option to bring an attorney for this review," Walters pointed out. "Gentlemen, I think we should break now to allow Ms. Willows adequate time to retain the services of an attorney."  
  
"What are you talking about? What option? No one told me anything about having a lawyer for an annual review. Sara's the only one who does that."  
  
"All contractual personnel have a clause in their employment contracts that allows for the presence of an attorney during annual reviews. For contract negotiation purposes," Cavallo informed Catherine.  
  
"I never thought I needed one for a review," Catherine snapped off. The new information sank in. "Wait a minute, negotiations? We don't negotiate contracts during annual reviews. I signed a contract when I started at the lab and I renewed it two years ago." Catherine's mind was racing. Contract negotiations? Could she have been making more money? Was this why Sara took a lawyer to her reviews? To negotiate her contract?  
  
"Ms. Willows, contract negotiations are entered into each year, following the annual review," Cavallo pointed out. "You have chosen to renew your contract at the same terms each year."  
  
"I did not!" Catherine protested.  
  
"I suggest you read your contract, Ms. Willows," Cavallo advised her. "Take Ms. Walter's advice and hire an attorney. It would be in your best interests. Keep in mind that you are not permitted to discuss your work, this meeting, or your termination with anyone other than your attorney." Catherine glared at him.  
  
"I will speak with anyone I damn well please about whatever the hell I want," she snapped.  
  
"Then tell your attorney to expect a lawsuit from the county," Sheriff Atwater replied smoothly. "Don't violate the nondisclosure agreement, Ms. Willows. You have enough to worry about from the Department of Justice. We're attempting to resolve this quickly and quietly. With any luck, you won't have to serve jail time." He looked at Walters, confirming that they were finished.  
  
"We'll be in contact, Ms. Willows," Walters informed her.  
  
TBC 


End file.
